Anode element.



B. W. GILGHRIST @a G. L. RICE.

ANODE ELEMENT.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 9, 1908.

Patented May 25, 1909.

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"W/T/l/ESSES UNITED STATE-s PATENT oEEIoE.

BENJAMIN W. GILCHRIST AND GEORGE L. RICE, 0F WOODHAVEN, NEW YORK.

ANoDE ELEMENT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 9, 1908. Serial No. 437,501.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, BENJAMIN W. GIL- oHRIsT and GEORGE L. RICE, citizens of the United States, and residing at Woodhaven, Long Island, in the county of Queens and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Anode Elements, of which the following is a specification, such as will enable those skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. Y

This invention relates to electro-plating and electrotyping apparatus, and the object thereof to provide an im rovement in this class of apparatus where y the life of the material which constitutes the anode proper will be prolonged and whereby a great saving of material may be, effected by the use of what is usually regarded as waste or inferior material such as pieces of anodes, scraps, wires or pieces of grain or cube metal, and with this and other objects in View the invention consists in an anode element for apparatus of the class specified constructed as hereinafter described and claimed'.

The invention is fully disclosed in the folan electrotyping or plating apparatus provlded with our improvement;

1g. 2 a trans.- verse sectlon on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 Fig. 3 a partial section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1

, Fi 4 a view similar to Fig. 3 but showing on y a detail on an enlarged scale; Fig. 5 a sectional detail view of our improved anode element; and, Fig. 6 a horizontal section on the line 6 6 of our improved anode element as shown in Fig. 3 and showing a modification.

In the drawing forming part of this s ecification, I have shown at a the usual so ution tank which is oblong and rectangular in form, and across and longitudinally of the top of which are placed two cathode rods or bars b and two anode rods or bars c, and at d we have shown a battery connected with the cathode rods or bars b byJwires c and c2 and with the anode rods or bars c by wires f and f2, the wires e and c2 being the negative wires and the wires f and. f2 th'e positive wires.

Suspended from the cathode rods or bars b nected with the rods or are the usual cathode su porters g andconars c are the usual anode su orters h. L

It wil e understood that the cathodes proper consist of the workto be treated and in the accompanying drawing, the sald work is shown in the form of tubes g2 supported by the cathode supporters g, all thls construction being of the usual form. U

Our improved anode element which forms .the subject matter of this application comprises a box composed of a back t2, a bottom i3, and openwork front i, a transverse top t5 and sides '11", and between the top .t5 and the openwork front 'i4 is an opening t7'. The anode proper is shown at j and conslsts of a plate of the usual form provided at its upper end with ears jz which pass upwardly through apertures js in the top 'i5 of the box i and with which the supporters h are connected as clearly shown 1n Figs. 1, 2 and 3. The su porters h are connected with the ears i2 of t e anode ji by means of hooks h2 at the lower ends thereof, and thisconnection is covered or protected by a rubber sleeve 7c designed to prevent the solutlon 1n the tank a. from coming in contact with the hooks h2. The supporters h being preferably quic y destroy the hooks h2 but by covering these hooks with rubber, thls result 1s obviated.

The anode proper designated by the reference character j, extends downwardly a predetermined distance into the box t referably about two-thirds of the depth t ereof and, in practice we put into said box scraps comppsed of copper, the. solution wouldA or waste material m, 1t being understood that these scraps or waste material are of the same fuality as the anode proper. In other words, 1

the anode y' consists of gold, the scraps orwaste material m would be gold also, and if the anode j consists of silver then the scraps or waste material m would also be' of silver.v In this way, old or partially consumed anodes may be employed or scraps of anyform may anode, the surfaces of all the separate parts or pieces of scrap being included as a part of the anode proper.

The front',4 of the box as shown in Fig. 3 is composed of -openwork or mesh work of fibrous material, while the back, top, sides and bottom thereof may. be com osed of rubber, Celluloid, asphaltum or fi er, and

be used and this, as will be understood, largely increases the plating surface of the when wood is employed the said parts are cured to the side and the backmembers of said box, in the form of construction shown, but this connection may be made in any desired manner. i

In the construction shown in Fig. 6, the front of the box consists of an openwork grate or lattice work 'i9 composed of hard rubber or any other suitable material, and this grate may be slid into position or removed from the box whenever necessary for cleaning or other purposes.'

The opening i" between the top portion of the openwork front of the box and the top of said box is intended to facilitate the insertion of the scrap or waste material m into said box and the removal from the box of said material. It will also be observed that the top of the box is narrower than the bottom thereof,`and the side walls i, ot thebox be\ tween the o enwork front and the top thereof are inclined) backwardly, and by reason of this construction the top`oi the box occupies less space in the tank, and this permits of the insertion of large work, or basket work to be plated into the tank, and the much more convenient placing thereof in said tank.

It will be understood, of course, that the anode j must always be in connection with the scrap material m or with parts thereof, and said scrap material, or the separate arts, thereof must always be in connection. t Will also be understood, ofcourse, that the solution o in the tank a is free to circulate through the box 'i and the use of this appara tus with our improved anode element will be the same as the use ofall other apparatus of this class.

- Having fully described our invention,

Awhat we claim as new and desire to secure by.

Letters Patent, is:

1. In an electro-plating apparatus an anode element comprising a ox through which the solution is free to circulate, said box being providedwith a top, and an anode .adapted to be placed in said box and provided with ears which are assed upwardly therethrough and with whic the sus ending devices are connected, the connection etween theffears of--the apode and said suspending devices being covered with'rubber or` similar` material.

2. In an electro-plating apparatus, an.

anode element comprising a box one side of which is composed of openwork whichdoes not extend to the top of thebox whereby an opening is formed in said side atthe top of which the suspendin devices are connected,

the said openwork si e being also removable. 4. In an electro-plating apparatus, an

vthe box, and an anode adapted to be placed anode element comprislng a box one side of il which is composed of openwork which does not extend to the top of the -box whereby 'an olpening is formed in said side at the top of t e box, and an ano'de adapted to be placed` in said box and provided with ears which are passed upwardly therethrough and with which the suspending devices are connected, the said openwork side being also removable, and the sides of the box between the said openwork and the top thereof being inclined backwardly. v

In testimony that We claim the foregoing as our invention we have signed our names in the presence ofthe subscribing witnesses this l 8th day of June, 1908.

BENJAMIN W. GILCHRIST. GEORGE L. RICE. Witnesses: f

A. R. APPLEMAN, C. E. MULREANY. 

